On January 4, Sone Maniphonh, owner of the Asian World Market store in St. Louis, opened fire on an armed suspect and afterward said, “I don’t know how to [be] scared.”

According to News Channel 5, Maniphonh said, “He walked in, and he wanted a 20 cent candy. I put right here, and he put gun on me. He point at me. After [then] he turn gun to my husband.” While the suspect was pointing the gun at her husband, Maniphonh pulled her own gun from beneath the register and opened fire.

The suspect returned fire, then ran out the front door, and Maniphonh followed him outside.

Maniphonh said, “I stand right here. He shoot one, two, three, four over there. I run follow him to go outside. I only try to protect myself.” She added, “I don’t know how to [be] scared.”

Reflecting on the incident, Maniphonh said, “Sometimes I cry at home, I say, ‘Why they have to do it with us. I don’t make too much money. Business is slow.’”

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